Easy To Use Patents Search & Patent Lawyer Directory

At Patents you can conduct a Patent Search, File a Patent Application, find a Patent Attorney, or search available technology through our Patent Exchange. Patents are available using simple keyword or date criteria. If you are looking to hire a patent attorney, you've come to the right place. Protect your idea and hire a patent lawyer.

A software piracy protection and access authorization device is provided
in the form of a USB dongle key. A first end is formed with a USB
connector for insertion into a USB port receptacle in a computer device.
A second end is formed with a USB port receptacle for receiving a USB
connector of a peripheral device to be connected to the computer device.
Piracy protection and access authorization software is operatively
connected to the first end that plugs into the computer device. The
second end is connected to the first end to enable an operative USB
connection between the peripheral device and the computer device. The
peripheral connection may be entirely transparent, i.e., completely
independent of the piracy protection and access authorization software,
or it may be a protected connection that is partly or wholly directed
through the piracy protection and access authorization software.

Inventors:

Levy; Itzhak; (Hollywood, FL)

Correspondence Address:

LERNER GREENBERG STEMER LLP
P O BOX 2480
HOLLYWOOD
FL
33022-2480
US

Assignee:

IDE Technologies, Inc.

Serial No.:

058989

Series Code:

11

Filed:

February 16, 2005

Current U.S. Class:

726/27

Class at Publication:

726/027

International Class:

H04L 9/32 20060101 H04L009/32

Claims

1. A software piracy protection and access authorization device,
comprising: a first end forming a USB connector for insertion into a USB
port receptacle in a computer device; a second end forming a USB port
receptacle for receiving a USB connector of a peripheral device to be
connected to the computer device; and piracy protection and access
authorization code or hardware operatively connected to said first end
forming the USB connector, and said second end being connected to said
first end to enable an operative USB connection between the peripheral
device and the computer device.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first end and said second
end are disposed and connected in a rigid dongle.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first end and said second
end are connected via a cable and said piracy protection and access
authorization code is contained in said first end or in said second end.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first end is connected to
said second end to render the device transparent to the peripheral
device.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said piracy protection and
access authorization software contains selective access code for the
peripheral device.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein a connection between said
first end and said second end bypasses the piracy protection and access
authorization code but includes cross-over connections between said first
end and said second end.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

[0001] The invention lies in the computer technology field. More
specifically, the invention relates to a software piracy protection
device for the computer software industry.

[0002] Software piracy is a ubiquitous issue in the computer industry. A
consumer can purchase a single copy of a given software package and then
duplicate the software into unlimited copies and distribute them all over
the world for a significant reduction in sale price. Not only do software
vendors lose considerable revenue, it is entirely possible that
unauthorized users of the duplicated software may contact vendors with
technical support issues, causing the vendors additional loss of time and
money.

[0003] Governments all over the world acknowledge the impact of software
piracy on the computer industry and try to protect vendors' intellectual
property with international treaties, laws and more severe penalties for
infringement of the copyright and the intellectual property rights of
software vendors. It is not enough to rely on the government to protect
vendors' intellectual property rights. Vendors take every possible step
to decrease the incidence of software piracy.

[0004] The piracy problem has created a niche for a new industry of
license and software protection devices to emerge and to be successfully
combat the piracy problem.

[0005] Some of the most common methods of software protection developed to
date are as follows: [0006] Floating License. [0007] Soft License.
[0008] Web Base Activation License. [0009] The Dongle Key License.

[0010] The Floating License is a soft license with an algorithm code
generated for a particular computer system, using one or more of the
computer's components as the license verification element. For example,
the floating license can be linked to the serial number or the volume
number of the computer's hard disk. If the hard disk is replaced by
another hard disk or if the user attempts to install the software on
another computer system, the software application will advise the user
that the license is invalid and will discontinue the installation.

[0011] The Soft License is a code number encrypted in the software that
must be entered by the user during installation in order to activate the
software. If the user does not have the matching code, installation will
not continue. The limitation of this license from the vendor's standpoint
is that the user can still copy the software and give the code to as many
unauthorized users as he wishes.

[0012] The Web Based Activation License was developed in response to the
security limitation of the Soft License. Software vendors created a
system that would require the user to log into a website or obtain a
license code online during installation. Additional installations of the
software could be monitored and denied by the vendor.

[0013] One of the common problems with the floating and the web based
activation licenses is that often the user may replace his computer
system or experience a system crash requiring system rebuilding. In
either case, the user must contact the software vendor and request a new
license. One of the limitations of the soft and web based licenses from a
user standpoint is that the license is bound to a specific computer and
can not be used with any other computer without first obtaining a new
license from the vendor. For example, a business user purchases an
expensive software package and installs it on the desktop computer in his
office. In order to work on his laptop at home, he must first contact the
vendor and obtain a new license which is likely to be refused. Such a
limitation would discourage the user from purchasing software from a
vendor employing floating or web based activation licenses.

[0014] The other common type of software license is the dongle key. The
dongle key is an external device that connects to a computer system's
parallel port. The protected software application monitor's the parallel
port for the presence of the dongle key. The software will run and
execute as expected as long as the dongle key is connected to the
parallel port. If the dongle key is removed, the protected software will
discontinue execution and will give the user an invalid license message.
The dongle key allows the user to run the application on any other
computer system as long as he moves the dongle to the other computer
system. The only limitation from the user's standpoint is that the
software can run only at one computer system at any given time. From the
vendor's and user's standpoint, the dongle key license is the best
solution to the problem of software piracy.

[0015] The use of the parallel dongle key is very popular and is used by
many software venders to protect their intellectual property. However,
the computer industry is a rapidly changing industry. Many new computers
have replaced the larger parallel port with the more compact USB
connector interface. The disappearance of the parallel port is rapidly
making the parallel dongle key obsolete. In order to continue using the
more advantageous dongle key license, software vendors will require a
dongle key that can operate using the USB or any other available port on
the computer (i.e., firewire, serial ATA, etc.).

[0016] More and more manufacturers of computer peripheral devices are
abandoning support for the standard peripheral connection to the computer
system (i.e., parallel port, add-on card, IDE bus) and using the USB
interface as their first choice due to the ease and simplicity of
connection. The USB connection has become the most popular form of
connection for peripheral devices. As a result, users require several USB
ports per computer in order to meet the demand for peripheral attachments
such as: printers, scanners, keyboards, mice, digital cameras, external
disks, tape drives, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0017] It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a software
piracy protection device, which overcomes the above-mentioned
disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general
type.

[0018] The object is achieved by providing a pass-through USB dongle key
that will include access authorization (e.g., license number, access ID)
provided by the software vendor but still allow the user to connect a
peripheral device via the pass-through USB dongle key.

[0019] With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in
accordance with the invention, a software piracy protection and access
authorization device, comprising:

[0020] a first end forming a USB connector for insertion into a USB port
receptacle in a computer device;

[0021] a second end forming a USB port receptacle for receiving a USB
connector of a peripheral device to be connected to the computer device;
and

[0022] piracy protection and access authorization code or hardware
operatively connected to the first end forming the USB connector, and the
second end being connected to the first end to enable an operative USB
connection between the peripheral device and the computer device.

[0023] The term "code" as used herein encompasses both software and
hardware implementations, as well as any intermediate solutions.

[0024] In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the first end
and the second end are disposed and connected in a rigid dongle.

[0025] In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the
first end and the second end are connected via a cable and the piracy
protection and access authorization code is contained in the first end or
in the second end, or in the pass-through USB dongle.

[0026] In accordance with another feature of the invention, the first end
is connected to the second end via a buffer, electronic switch, or logic
to render the device transparent to the peripheral device. In the
alternative, the piracy protection and access authorization code contains
selective access software for the peripheral device.

[0027] The novel device allows software vendors to protect their
intellectual property with a pass-through USB dongle key connected to one
of the computer's USB ports and while allowing the user to make use of
the same USB port for any other peripheral device required.

[0028] The invention has several advantages. For example, inter alia, the
invention [0029] eliminates the need for a parallel port; [0030]
frees the USB port for other use while protecting the vendors' rights;
[0031] can easily be moved between computer systems; and [0032] is small
and easy to carry (i.e., it can be attached to the user's key chain).

[0033] As such, the novel device also has considerable utility as a
computer system access authorization key.

[0034] The term "dongle" as used herein describes an electronic device
that must be attached to a computer in order for certain protected
software to run. It also encompasses a system authorization key, network
access authorization key, and personal ID.

[0035] Other features which are considered as characteristic for the
invention are set forth in the appended claims.

[0036] Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as
embodied in a software piracy protection device, it is nevertheless not
intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications
and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the
spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of
the claims.

[0037] The construction of the invention, however, together with
additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from
the following description of the specific embodiment when read in
connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0038] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a prior art parallel dongle;

[0039] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a prior art system with a computer
system with one parallel port and one USB port;

[0040] FIG. 3A is a partly schematic view of a USB dongle key according to
the invention, incorporating the novel pass-through feature;

[0041] FIG. 3B is a plan view of a USB dongle key according to the
invention without the pass-through feature;

[0042] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a modern prior art computer system
with four separate devices requiring a USB port; and

[0043] FIG. 5 is a similar view of such a system with the novel USB dongle
key with the pass-through feature.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0044] Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first,
particularly, to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, a parallel dongle 1 has a male
connector side 2 with 25 pins and a female connector side 3 with 25
correspondingly arranged plug openings. By the nature of the dongle 1,
the pins at the male connector side 2 are not simply straight-through
connected to the female connector side 3. Instead, the dongle 1 has
interior code and/or cross-over connections that misalign the connectors
of one side to those of the other side. The dongle 1 is connected as an
insert between a parallel port of a computer 5 and a peripheral device,
such as the illustrated parallel printer 4.

[0045] The computer 5 also has a USB mouse 6 connected via a USB port 7.

[0046] Referring now to FIG. 3A, there is shown a novel pass-through USB
dongle 8. A male plug side 8A is configured to be connected to a computer
USB port 7 of a computer and the other side, a female plug side 8B, will
allow the connection of any peripheral with a USB connector.

[0047] FIG. 3B illustrates a prior art embodiment of a USB dongle 9. Such
a dongle is available, by way of example, from Matrixlock of Germany
(www.matrixlock.de). The dongle 9 that will connect to one of the USB
ports 7 without allowing a peripheral to be connected via the dongle. The
dongle 9 contains the internal software protection and license
authorization. This dongle 9, then, is an access authorization key which
may be assigned a person, a department, a licensed user of a certain
software program, etc. When it is plugged in, one of the USB ports is
lost and, if the additional port is required, the user is required to
attach a USB multiplier or USB extension.

[0048] FIG. 4 shows computer system 5 with four USB ports 7 that allow the
connections of the parallel printer 10, scanner 11, keyboard 12, and a
mouse 6. Here, a typical situation arises, namely, that all of the
available USB ports are used up by the peripherals. Should the user wish
to connect the software protection or access protection dongle without
the above-noted pass-through feature, one of the USB ports would be lost
and one of the devices would have to be unplugged, or an expensive port
extension would have to be installed.

[0049] FIG. 5 illustrates an advantage to be obtained with the
pass-through feature. Here, the computer system 5 again has four USB
ports 7 that allow the connections of the parallel printer 10, scanner
11, keyboard 12, and a mouse 6. In addition, the dongle 8, i.e., the
pass-through USB device 8, has been connected inline with one of the
peripherals. This figure points out the importance of the USB ports and
the fact that they all may be needed ay the same time. In this case the
pass-through USB dongle 8 may play a very imported role if the computer
does not have enough USB ports 7 to support all needed peripherals and in
the same time a software piracy dongle device needs to be used to enable
a given software application.